In a wild moment of complete un-me-ness, I cancelled all my plans and booked a single ticket to Oxford to visit some friends for the weekend last friday night. I wasn't disappointed.
I always thought I belonged in the pulsing vibrance of the city but now I see the draw in the pervasive calm of a college campus. It's hard to say where I would have been happier, had I applied and gotten into Oxford. Anyhow, I've come to believe that it doesn't really matter which university you're at, or where in the world you are, as long as you're with the right people. And in a leap of faith for the world at large, I would say there are enough of "the right people" in the world to meet them wherever you go.
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| Fish Fillet baked in a bag with clams, mussels, fennel, chilli, anchovies and Sicilian cracked wheat |
Amidst all the socializing and exploring, I found the time to visit Jamie's Italian along George Street. I have professed my love for Jamie's recipes countless times, but sometimes I fear his restaurants don't live up to his name. The black angel spaghetti was not as inky as I'd hoped, but enjoyable nonetheless. I was thoroughly impressed with the garnishing of my grilled seabass (below) - roasted vegetables are a rarity for me in my ovenless state. In fact I think I treasured the sweet peppers and caramelized onions more than the sea bass itself which, though fantastically grilled, was slightly too much on the bony side. I probably wouldn't go back a third time because of the extensive range of Italian restaurants in London but the novelty of eating in a Jamie Oliver restaurant certainly is worth a one time visit.
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| Anglesey Sea Bass: whole-roasted and served with crunchy sweet and sour vegetables |
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| Black Angel Spaghetti |
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| Oxford, St. John's College |
Jamie's Italian, Oxford
24-26 George Street,
Oxford, OX1 2AE
Tel: 01865 83 83 83
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